A Pennsylvania Democrat and Republican come to Boston. Bipartisanship breaks out
The organizers billed it as proof that two people on opposite sides of the political divide could sit in the same room and not tear each other's heads off.
And if the face-off between Pennsylvania U.S. Sens. John Fetterman, a Democrat, and Dave McCormick, the Republican, was any indication, they succeeded beyond their wildest imaginings.
For just about 30 minutes on Monday morning, the two lawmakers acknowledged that they would occasionally find themselves at cross purposes in the ideological hothouse that is Washington, D.C., but said they hoped they could do so agreeably.
'We both care deeply about Pennsylvania,' McCormick, who won election to the Senate last November by defeating a long-serving Democratic incumbent, said. 'We are working together to do great things.'
The excessively civil chat, co-sponsored by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, was live-streamed on FOX Nation and moderated by Fox News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream.
It was the sixth such installment of the ongoing 'Senate Project' put on by the two organizations.
The 30-minute session, held in the Kennedy Institute's replica U.S. Senate chamber, ranged across the issues of the day, touching on the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza; the looming Senate debate over President Donald Trump's deficit-busting 'Big Beautiful Bill,' and the 'blockbuster agreement' between U.S. Steel and Japanese company Nippon Steel that Trump announced last week.
Past participants in the program have included conversations between U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; and Chris Coons, D-Del., who faced now U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican.
Monday's conversation began with Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, where a man wielding a homemade explosive device and shouting invective, was charged with hurling them at a group peacefully demonstrating on behalf of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Fetterman took to the stage in his trademark black hoodie and shorts. McCormick sat next to him in a suit and tie. Both were given commemorative hoodies for their participation, which they displayed proudly.
Fetterman, recalling that he and McCormick first met during an anniversary observance for a deadly synagogue attack in Pittsburgh, offered that 'it's astonishing that this antisemitism is out of control.' And he lamented what he said was its spread across American college and university campuses.
'We need to call it what it is,' he said, adding that 'building tent cities on campuses and terrorizing Jewish students, that's not free speech.'
McCormick offered a similar sentiment, saying antisemitism is 'something that we have to stand up against [with] moral clarity.'
The two lawmakers acknowledged that they will find themselves on opposite sides of Trump's megabill, which looks to make permanent his first-term tax cuts with deep reductions in spending on social safety net programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to as 'food stamps.'
'I don't think I'd ever be in a position to support cuts to Medicaid. The same for SNAP,' Fetterman said, then, referring to his wife Gisele's work feeding hungry people in their hometown of Braddock, outside Pittsburgh, he stressed that people weren't looking for giveaways. They're hungry and need help.
'I see people standing in line for food,' he said. 'It's not just because they want free stuff, it's that they don't have enough to eat.'
McCormick stressed the importance of " slowing the growth of the cost of government."
" I think that's where the debate's going to be, 'Is how do we pay for these things,'" he said.
Fetterman, who has faced recent questions about his mental and physical health, said McCormick supported him against what he described as a 'weird smear' campaign.
'He actually asked me, 'Is it okay to defend you?'' Fetterman recalled.
Fetterman suffered a debilitating stroke shortly before the 2022 election and was hospitalized for treatment for depression early in his term.
He also has faced criticism for missing votes, but argued that the ones he had missed were 'throwaway' procedural votes that did not require his presence to stand or fall.
'I'm here. I'm doing the job,' he said.
Tired of 'TACO?' Here comes the 'Trump collar'
Residential retrofitting program turns on high-speed internet for Bay Meadow Apts. in Springfield
GOP Mass. governor hopeful Brian Shortsleeve touts 'record' $416K fundraising haul
Bill Clinton raises alarm over Donald Trump: 'We've never seen anything like this before'
Mass. Gov. Healey's popularity takes a dip in new poll
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Prosperity Bancshares (NYSE:PB) shareholders have earned a 7.5% CAGR over the last five years
When you buy and hold a stock for the long term, you definitely want it to provide a positive return. Better yet, you'd like to see the share price move up more than the market average. But Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE:PB) has fallen short of that second goal, with a share price rise of 22% over five years, which is below the market return. Looking at the last year alone, the stock is up 15%. So let's assess the underlying fundamentals over the last 5 years and see if they've moved in lock-step with shareholder returns. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. Over half a decade, Prosperity Bancshares managed to grow its earnings per share at 1.8% a year. This EPS growth is slower than the share price growth of 4% per year, over the same period. This suggests that market participants hold the company in higher regard, these days. That's not necessarily surprising considering the five-year track record of earnings growth. You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image). We know that Prosperity Bancshares has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? Check if analysts think Prosperity Bancshares will grow revenue in the future. When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Prosperity Bancshares' TSR for the last 5 years was 43%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! It's nice to see that Prosperity Bancshares shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 19% over the last year. And that does include the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 7% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Prosperity Bancshares better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Prosperity Bancshares , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges. — Investing narratives with Fair Values Vita Life Sciences Set for a 12.72% Revenue Growth While Tackling Operational Challenges By Robbo – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: A$2.42 · 0.1% Overvalued Vossloh rides a €500 billion wave to boost growth and earnings in the next decade By Chris1 – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: €78.41 · 0.1% Overvalued Intuitive Surgical Will Transform Healthcare with 12% Revenue Growth By Unike – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: $325.55 · 0.6% Undervalued View more featured narratives — Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Titan Mining subsidiary secures $15m funding from EXIM for critical minerals development
Titan Mining has announced that the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has approved $15.8m in financing for its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire State Mines (ESM). This funding is designated for critical capital development to expand zinc production and advance ESM's critical minerals portfolio in St. Lawrence County, New York. This transaction represents EXIM's inaugural direct mining loan under the Make More in America Initiative (MMIA), a federal programme designed to reinforce industrial capacity, secure US supply chains for critical materials and bolster domestic manufacturing. The financing arrangement includes a seven-year tenor with a two-year interest-only grace period. The funds are earmarked for capital equipment and infrastructure improvements to bolster current and future operations at ESM. The cash flow from zinc operations will help reduce the cost of capital and de-leverage existing facilities. This financial strategy allows for efficient balance sheet structuring, maintaining flexibility for future growth and financing opportunities while enabling early investment in graphite production. The company has also committed to job creation and retention, with 135 existing jobs maintained and an additional ten new positions anticipated, in line with EXIM's requirements. Titan CEO Don Taylor commented: 'This financing marks a major step forward for Titan and the Empire State Mine. It enables us to further expand zinc production, accelerate our graphite development, and importantly, retain 135+ high-quality jobs in upstate New York while creating new skilled positions as we grow. EXIM's support reflects the strategic importance of our assets and validates our long-term vision.' In a related development, Critical Metals recently received a letter of interest from EXIM for a potential loan of up to $120m to finance its Tanbreez rare earths mine in Greenland. This move could signify the US' first overseas mining investment under the Trump administration, aiming to reduce dependency on China for critical minerals, especially amidst heightened trade tensions and Beijing's export restrictions on rare earths. "Titan Mining subsidiary secures $15m funding from EXIM for critical minerals development" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump delay of Iran bombing decision by two weeks puts U.S. markets into holding pattern
Trump's two-week delay on an Iran bombing decision has generated uncertainty that is holding investors (and businesses) back from making decisions. While the 'fear index' dropped, U.S. markets still slid slightly in premarket trading. Investors didn't exactly breathe a sigh of relief after President Trump postponed a decision on bombing Iran for two weeks. U.S. stock futures dipped about 0.2% across the board after the Juneteenth holiday, reflecting unease not just over a potential war—but over indecision as well. The issue? Investors didn't read the two-week delay as an opening for diplomacy that would avoid the most catastrophic outcome: a bombed Iran blocking critical petroleum shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and sending oil to $130. Instead, they viewed it as kicking the can down the road. The fear isn't escalation per se—it's prolonged uncertainty, with no concrete resolution in sight. 'That means two weeks of uncertainty for financial markets, but investors are still inclined to see the Middle East conflict as a local, not a global, economic issue,' UBS chief economist Paul Donovan said in a morning note seen by Fortune. Indeed, while shares in U.S. markets traded sideways Friday morning (as they have year to date), shares in Europe and parts of Asia rose (as they have year to date). Hong Kong's Hang Seng and India's Nifty 50 both jumped 1.3% on the day, while in midday trading the STOXX Europe 600 and London's FTSE rose 0.6%—and Germany's DAX posted a 1% rise. For the year, the S&P 500 is up 1.7% while the STOXX Europe 600 is up 5.6%. 'The Middle East tensions represent another potential adverse shock to a fairly weak economy,' Nicola Nobile, Oxford Economics' chief Italy economist, wrote in a Friday note about the eurozone economy. 'As we have shown, even the most severe scenario for oil prices would have a manageable impact on economic activity.' The divergence in sentiment comes down to uncertainty. Trump's delay mirrors a broader pattern—on tariffs, TikTok (he signed another 90-day divestment extension Thursday), and now Iran. The so-called TACO trade (Trump Always Chickens Out) may be catchy, but for markets, it signals a lack of clarity that causes executives and investors to stall. On Friday, the VIX—Wall Street's fear gauge—fell 7.9% after Thursday's spike on war talk. Still, it's up 18% on the year. Here's a snapshot of the action across global markets this morning: South Korea's Kospi was up 1.5%. India's Nifty 50 was up 1.3%. U.S. markets were closed yesterday for Juneteenth. S&P 500 futures were down 0.2% in premarket trading today. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 rose 0.6% in midday trading. China's Composite was down 0.1%. Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.2%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 1.3%. This story was originally featured on
